Creating Lord of the Rings for Screen

This week in our lecture we discussed the camera angles and how to create emotion by shot by shot. Actually, I learned there is a meaning to every shot and it is a remarkable thing for me. After learning that, I watched the Lord of the Rings almost for the hundredth time, and this time I only focused on shot angles. I think the first time I thought about how they shoot the scenes and I couldn’t even imagine that. Then, I found the behind-the-scenes video and it is more complex than I thought.

For instance, the hobbit and the dwarf scenes with the human scenes were shooted with stuntmen and children. I didn’t know that every actor has stuntmen for scenes.

Another thing that I learned is they used robots and some perspective tricks in shire scenes.

The most important one is, they used a lot of models for shooting long shots and extra-long shots. I assumed that they used computer programs and CGI techniques but they were worked in a more analog way. For instance, the Rivendell scenes are mostly shooted with models. Of course, they used CGI and computer programs too but if we compare, the analog working style is heavier than the electronic one.

These were broadened my mind and I understand more shapely how to make a film and what are the challenges of making a movie. Of course, these are essential and fundamental for creating a proper and meaningful movie but, in my old thoughts, movie-making was much easier. Before this lecture, I already knew taking a movie takes a lot of time but I was thinking creating the story takes the most of time or editing.

Now I understand that I was underestimated the shooting work and even you have the best story, the shooting is important as the story. Maybe more, I am still learning.

I hope the new things I will learn also will be relatable to the Lord of the Rings and I can watch more Lord of the Rings.